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Johjima steals home to help Mariners blank Tigs 5-0

Felix Hernandez allowed just two hits in seven innings, and Kenji Johjima likely scored the most unusual run of his career with a steal of home in the Seattle Mariners' 5-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

The big-budget Tigers have been shut out a major league-leading nine times, three times their total from last year.

Johjima also had a two-run single in the first, backing a superb performance on the mound from Hernandez, who became the first Seattle pitcher to quiet the Tigers' bats in their five meetings this season.

In four losses to Detroit entering Saturday, the Mariners had surrendered 37 runs.

Hernandez (3-5) struck …

Top of the 2nd

WVU * Saturday: MBB at St. Johns, Noon

Marshall * Wednesday: MBB at Tulane, 8 p.m. * Saturday: MBB vs.So. Miss, 7 p.m.

Key: MBB= mens basketball WBB= womens basketball

QB Brett Favre will retire after 17 seasons

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Brett Favre has decided to retire from the NFLafter 17 seasons.

FOX Sports first reported today that the Green Bay Packersquarterback informed the team in the last few days. ESPN.com saidthat according to Favre's agent the quarterback told coach MikeMcCarthy of his decision.

Mccarthy, agent Bus Cook and the Packers did not immediatelyreturn messages left by The Associated Press.

Favre has taken weeks and even …

CPS a leader in AP growth

Minority students are getting more access to challenging courses, as neighborhood high schools add Advanced Placement classes. But black students still trail other racial groups.

As a freshman at Kennedy High in Garfield Ridge, Rocio Barba knew she was good at math and thought she might become a computer technician. Now she's valedictorian for the Class of 2004, heading to the University of Chicago next fall and planning to major in math. Her eventual goal is to become an engineer.

Rocio credits the six Advanced Placement courses she's taken at Kennedy with helping her set her sights on a top-notch university and a more demanding career. Kennedy began making a concerted …

Europe's HIV infection rate has doubled since 2000

The rate of HIV infection in Europe almost doubled between 2000 and 2007, reaching the highest level ever recorded in Europe, the European Union's disease center and the United Nations' health agency said Monday.

The annual rate of newly diagnosed cases of HIV infection rose to 75 per million people in 2007 from 39 per million people in 2000.

In 2007, 48,892 newly diagnosed cases of HIV infection were reported from 49 European countries. Austria, Italy, Monaco and Russia were excluded from the survey due to lack of data.

"One challenge faced by all countries is that many of the people living with HIV are unaware that they are infected," …

MP Webb launches fight to reprieve Frenchay

A CAMPAIGN has been launched by one of the region's MPs to fightproposals which could see the closure of Frenchay Hospital.

Northavon Liberal Democrat MP Steve Webb says he fears hisconstituents will lose out in terms of healthcare provision to peoplein Bristol under a major shake-up of hospital services.

He is leafleting 43,000 homes across his South Gloucestershireconstituency, conducting his own survey to find out what people want.

Mr Webb says he fears people in Yate, Thornbury, Chipping Sodburyand Bradley Stoke will be sidelined in the debate over which of threehospitals - Bristol Royal Infirmary, Southmead or Frenchay - will beclosed.

He said he was …

Garcia guaranteed Ryder spot

MUNICH, Germany--Sergio Garcia will play in next month's Ryder Cup"even if he shoots 95-95 this week," European captain San Torrancesaid today. Torrance said his other captain's pick will bedetermined by what happens at the BMW International Open startingThursday. Torrance will announce his choices for the 12-man teamSunday after the tournament officially establishes the 10 players whoget automatic spots for the Sept. 28-30 contest at The Belfry. Jesper Parnevik is seen as having the inside track on Torrance'ssecond selection. Torrance said he was pleased that Garcia, 19th onthe list, had come to try to qualify. "I promised Sergio he was inquite a while ago, yet he has still …

Bresnan gears up for challenge of Indian pitches

HYDERABAD, India (AP) — England pace bowler Tim Bresnan said Thursday he was excited at the prospect of playing an upcoming limited overs series in India despite flat pitches which offer no help to bowlers like him.

"It's a fresh challenge for me and I'm looking forward because it is a chance for us to beat India in India," Bresnan told reporters. "We are going into this series with exactly the same mentality with which we won in England."

England beat world champion India 3-0 in a recent five-game series at home while also blanking it 4-0 in tests and winning a one-off Twenty20 game.

But Bresnan said Indian conditions would pose different challenges in the upcoming five …

Iowa could host 2-for-1 IndyCar weekend in 2012

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard says the series is looking into the possibility of holding a doubleheader at Iowa Speedway next season that would award full championship points for each race.

Bernard told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he spoke with Iowa Speedway president Jerry Jauron over the weekend about hosting races on Saturday night and the following Sunday in 2012.

IndyCar brought back doubleheaders this …

Capitalism: 1935

The efficiency of the capitalist system

Is rightly admired by important people.

Our huge steel mills

Operating at 25% capacity

Are the last word in organization.

The new grain elevators

Stored with superfluous wheat

Can load a grain-boat in two hours.

Marvellous card-sorting machines

Make it easy to keep …

Rebel's Slaying Another Boost for Uribe

The guerrilla walked out of the jungle tired, hungry and bearing the dismembered hand of his slain commander.

The rebel, known simply as Rojas, said the Colombian troops were closing in on his guerrilla column and he wanted out of the fight. But the rebels shoot deserters _ so instead he murdered his commander and fled, lopping off the dead man's right hand to present to the army.

"I did it to save my life," the mustachioed rebel told a press conference Saturday in the western city of Pereira. "Because if you're going to desert, they'll shoot you."

The morbid delivery represented an unexpected gift for President Alvaro Uribe: the …

Fearsforpensionfunds as stock markets plummet Billions of pounds were today wiped off pension funds and there were fears of increased interest rates as stock markets suffered huge falls.

Billions of pounds were today wiped off pension funds and therewere fears of increased interest rates as stock markets sufferedhuge falls.

The recent stock market turmoil has plunged company pensionschemes pounds21 billion into the red, analysts said.

The sell-off, which has seen more than pounds73 billion wiped offthe value of the FTSE 100 index in the past week, has wiped out thesurplus the UK's major pension funds had built up in recent months.

And there were warnings that banks, facing credit worries in thewake of problems hitting the US housing market, could have to passcosts on to the man in the street.

Some analysts had hope that the FTSE …

To Detain or To Release? Correlates of Dispositions for Individuals Declared Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder

Objective: The extent to which risk assessment advances have influenced release decision-making by review boards (RBs) of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCRMD) remains unclear. Our objective is to identify the psychosocial, criminological, and risk measure correlates of RB decision-making.

Method: Data were collected through structured interviews and file reviews conducted between October 2004 and August 2006 in the sole forensic psychiatric hospital in Quebec and in 2 civil psychiatric hospitals in a large metropolitan area designated to care for people found NCRMD. The final sample consisted of 96 men.

Results: Dynamic, …

Nikkei rebounds in early trade

Japanese shares rebounded in early trade Thursday, bucking an overnight fall on Wall Street, as investors hunted for bargains following a massive sell-off.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 115.08 points, or 1.25 percent, to close the morning session at 9,318.40. The modest gain comes after the Japanese market nose-dived 9.4 percent _ its biggest one-day drop in 21 years _ to finish at a five-year low on Wednesday, as jittery investors dumped shares on deepening fears over the global financial crisis.

"Investors bought back shares as sentiment slightly improved on measures including coordinated rate cuts (by U.S. and European central banks)," said Kazuhiro Takahashi, general manager at Daiwa Securities SMBC Co. Ltd.

The U.S. Federal Reserve and other leading European central banks cut interest rates on Wednesday in the hope that credit markets would soon relax and that banks would begin lending more freely to businesses and consumers.

Takahashi said investors also welcomed the move by the British government to inject massive public funds, worth 50 billion pound (US$88 billion), into major banks in a bid to shore up the beleaguered financial sector amid the world financial crisis.

"Investors were relieved to see some government action to counter uncertainty over the financial crisis," Takahashi said.

But the analyst was quick to stress that the global stock market would remain under pressure due to lingering gloom over the global credit market.

The dollar traded at 100.35 yen in late morning trade here, slightly up from 99.74 yen in New York late Wednesday.

The broader Topix index gained 1.83 percent to 915.49 in early trade.

Anything goes in Miami Beach, except Mr. Clucky

Miami Beach tolerates all kinds of eccentricity, but the south Florida playground of the rich and famous draws the line at a bicycle riding rooster named Mr. Clucky.

The white bird who perches on his owner's bike has become a favorite subject of tourist photos. But he's been ordered out of town for his cacophonous crowing every day at 6 a.m.

A code enforcement officer ticketed owner Mark Buckley on May 27 for keeping a farm animal. Buckley faces a $50 fine and an order to get rid of the famous fowl.

Never mind that the celebrity bird was grand marshal of last fall's King Mango Strut in nearby Coconut Grove.

Buckley could receive repeated citations and higher fines if he doesn't comply. But city officials say an arrest is not likely.

__

On the Net:

Mr. Clucky Web site: http://www.mrclucky.com

___

Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com

Stocks get lift from US data, German vote on fund

LONDON (AP) — Stocks surged Thursday on a combination of surprisingly strong U.S. economic data and the overwhelming approval by Germany's parliament of a bill to strengthen a bailout fund intended to help European countries deal with their debts.

News that the U.S. economy grew by more than previously thought in the second quarter of the year and a surprisingly large drop in weekly jobless claims were the main catalysts behind the advance. Stocks are a leading indicator of future economic activity and the better than expected U.S. economic data has reined in fears over the global economic recovery.

Alongside concerns over Europe's debt crisis, investors have been spooked by a run of weak U.S. economic data over the past couple of months — the result has been huge turmoil in financial markets.

But news that the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 1.3 percent in the April-June quarter, up from an estimate of 1 percent made a month ago has calmed some investor fears about the world's largest economy, especially as the improvement largely reflected more consumer spending.

"The quality of the improvement far outweighs the scale of improvement with the U.S. consumer key to future growth," said Michael Woolfolk, an analyst at The Bank of New York Mellon. "The risk for the third quarter is to the upside, with the outside possibility that it could well come in at the upper end of the 2.0-3.0 percent range."

Further good news emerged from the Labor Department, which found that jobless claims last week dropped 37,000 to a seasonally adjusted 391,000, the lowest level since April 2. It's the first time applications have fallen below 400,000 since Aug. 6. and the figures could prompt investors to upgrade their forecasts for next week's nonfarm payrolls figures for September.

The mood in stock markets had already been largely positive after a clear victory for Chancellor Angela Merkel in a vote on beefing up Europe's bailout fund. More encouraging for the markets, perhaps, was the fact that Merkel did not have to rely on support from opposition parties.

In the short-term, the markets' hope is that the vote in favor of an expanded rescue fund — with 523 lawmakers in favor, 85 against and 3 abstentions — indicates Germany is fully behind efforts to shore up Europe's defenses against a crisis that has already seen three countries bailed out and stoked talk that Greece will default.

Germany is the biggest economy among the 17-countries that use the euro currency and has to contribute more than others to boosting the firepower of the bailout fund, the so-called European Financial Stability Facility, or EFSF. If passed, Germany will be guaranteeing loans in the future for up to €211 billion ($288 billion), rather than €123 billion so far.

"The overwhelming majority in the Bundestag is a good sign and will hopefully mark a step change in German commitment to bringing the spiraling crisis under control," said Sony Kapoor, managing director of Re-Define, an economic think-tank.

In Europe, Germany's DAX closed 1.1 percent higher at 5,639.58 while France's CAC-40 rose 1.1 percent to 3,027.65. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was underperforming, slipping 0.4 percent to 5,196.84.

U.S. stocks rallied — the Dow Jones industrial average was up 1.7 percent at 11,194.28 while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1.2 percent to 1,165.32.

The improved appetite for risk on Thursday also helped the euro brush off another survey showing that Europe's economy was grinding to a halt. When risk appetite is high, the euro usually garners support against the dollar. Following the German vote, it was trading 0.7 percent higher at $1.3641.

In its monthly survey of economic conditions around the 17 countries that use the euro, the EU's executive arm, the European Commission said confidence fell further in September following the previous month's precipitous collapse. Its economic sentiment indicator stands at 95, against August's 98.4, and is below the long-run average. The last time it was lower was in December 2009.

The further decline in confidence is likely to put pressure on the European Central Bank to start cutting interest rates again, if not in October, then in November when Italy's Mario Draghi will have replaced the current head Jean-Claude Trichet.

Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index swung between gains and losses before finishing up 1 percent to 8,701.23. South Korea's Kospi index shot up 2.7 percent to 1,769.29. China's Shanghai Composite Index dropped 1.1 percent to 2,365.34. Markets in Hong Kong were closed due to severe weather.

Oil prices tracked equities higher too — benchmark crude for November delivery rose $1.16 to $82.37 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

___

Pamela Sampson in Bangkok contributed to this report.

8 dead, 7 injured after building collapses in Pakistan

At least eight people died and seven were injured when a three-floor building in Rawalpindi collapsed Sunday morning after fireworks stored on the ground floor exploded, police said.

A dozen residents remained trapped inside the remains of the building but rescue teams had recovered the dead and injured from the rubble, said Rawalpindi police chief Saud Aziz.

"The building collapsed in the wake of explosions of illegally stored fireworks," he said.

The building was located near the local police station, and contained both residential apartments and shops on the ground floor.

`Texas Chainsaw' killers to mow 'em down again - this time it's yuppies

AUSTIN, Texas The natives are restless. Again. The roar of misusedchainsaws once more is cutting through the countryside, trailingblood. For the first time since 1973, when four curious hippies weredismembered and stuffed in the frozen-food section of a ruralslaughterhouse, the butchering behemoth called Leatherface hasreturned.

This time his slaughtering path leads to Dallas, where there arelaughs in store, and love in the air.

Director Tobe Hooper has come to Austin to make the sequel tohis first big hit, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," the trend-settinghorror film and cult classic that has triggered much controversyoutside the theater and plenty of profits at the box office. "TheTexas Chainsaw Massacre, Part 2" will open Friday at theaters anddrive-ins throughout the Chicago area.

Hooper's original "Chainsaw" movie was making serious noiseamong critics, if not at first, at least later, during one of itsmore than 10 major reissues. Most frequently, the first "Chainsaw"has been interpreted as a social satire and a metaphor for America'stroubles in the Watergate era.

In a 1981 Sunday column, the New York Times dared to deem"Chainsaw" a work of art. Wrote critic Vincent Canby: "Theintelligence at work within it transforms the second-rate into anunexpectedly provocative entertainment." Even the Museum of ModernArt included "Chainsaw" in one of its study collections.

That is pretty lofty for a movie in which a macabre family ofpsychos turns innocent - albeit annoying - flower children intodiscount steaks.

Produced for an anemic $155,000, "the Saw" - as the sequelmakershave dubbed it - has grossed more than $50 million since its 1974release. Some put the figure closer to $100 million. Nobody knowsfor sure - not even director Hooper, who still pulls in residuals.

"It seems to be impossible for us to really find out," Hoopersaid during a break from the filming here of "The Texas ChainsawMassacre, Part 2." Financial details from the film's first year ofdistribution never were reported, Hooper said.

Nevertheless, the shock value of the outrageously titled"Chainsaw Massacre" paid off in the long run. "Chainsaw" became knownas the first horror film that went too far, the one slasher moviethat threatened the stoutest cast-iron stomachs with a meltdown.

It has inspired a cortege of horrifically successful films,including the six-part "Friday the 13th" series, which featurefaceless, apparently indestructible evil forces.

Hooper tried to explain the film's appeal: "It was unique to ourtime and really loaded with little connections to our politicalclimate and what was happening to us in America," he said. "It wasmade when the country was out of gas. It was during the end of theNixon era. People were being put out of jobs. It made a statement that we connected with. I mean, aside from justbeating someone with a hammer, besides the thrills, it did have a fewthings to say."

Not everybody thought so. Some said - and some still say - thatthe movie is a moral abomination.

For Hooper, the personal stakes were high. The director saidmany of his early colleagues deserted him when he embarked on theoriginal "Chainsaw."

"I lost most of my friends over this moral issue," he said. "Ihad a successful commercial film house, and my first choices forcinematographer and other technical positions were old friends. Butthey refused to work with me, simply because they felt I should bedoing something more artistically valid."

Even now, Hooper said, some local crew members working on thesequel openly doubt the artistic value of the project, in which thecrazed family from the original movie has graduated to running acatering company, stocking its smokehouse with yuppies, sticking themon human rotisseries and using them as sausage stuffing.

"Some of the local people I've hired question the artisticvalidity of what they're doing, which is a lot of nonsense," Hoopersaid. "But this is an isolated community. It's an artisticcommunity. It isn't as commercial-minded as, say, Dallas or Houston,and certainly not like L.A.

"I'm making what I consider to be a comedy - a dark, frighteningcomedy. I don't feel like I'm doing anything morally wrong. I'mhaving fun. My films don't just build up an ignorant body count.There's always mystery or psychological suspense. Something's alwaysgoing on. And I don't feel that I've done anyone harm."

With the success of "Chainsaw," Hooper gained access tobig-budget Hollywood, even though the studios instantly typecast himas a frightmeister. (Comedy is his first love, he said.) Since then,Hooper has directed "Salem's Lot," a made-for-TV movie; "Funhouse,"a 1981 flop; the blockbuster "Poltergeist" for Steven Spielberg'scompany; "Lifeforce," a 1985 bomb, and the remake of "Invaders fromMars," another box-office dud.

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Part 2" has been nagging atHooper's mind for some time.

Bill Johnson, the actor portraying Leatherface in the sequel,said, "Yuppies are a convenient target because they're the best-fedand they provide the best substance for the vittles the family isselling."

Gunnar Hansen, the original Leatherface, now works as afree-lance journalist in Maine. Negotiations to cast him in thesequel fell through.

Dennis Hopper ("Easy Rider," "Apocalypse Now") portrays a TexasRanger who has been hunting the "Chainsaw" killers since the lastmovie. His search involves him with a disc jockey named Stretch(Caroline Williams), who happens to be Leatherface's favorite deejayand who mistakenly records one of the family killings on tape. WhenLeatherface goes to kill Stretch, he discovers some hidden emotions.

Police: 3 Dead, 2 in Custody in Texas

Authorities say they have found the bodies of an adult and two children at a rural East Texas home where they had gone on a report of a shooting and a fire.

Rains County Chief Deputy Kurt Fischer says one adult also was hospitalized early Saturday, and two people have been taken into custody. He says police received reports of a fire and a shooting at the house around 4 a.m.

A new conference is scheduled for later Saturday.

Emory is 60 miles east of Dallas.

Ruling scraps grandparent visitation law Illinois Supreme Court says suits can't force time with grandchildren

Grandparents in Illinois no longer can turn to the courts whenbattling for visitation with their grandchildren, the IllinoisSupreme Court ruled Thursday.

The ruling dealt the final blow to the state's 1991 grandparentvisitation law, which let grandparents sue over how often they cansee their grandchildren.

"I'm just heartbroken over this," said Virginia Wickham, 64, ofGlen Ellyn, who has been embroiled in a legal tug-of-war with her son-in-law over her 4-year-old granddaughter.

Thursday's decision leaves grandparents at the mercy of parentswhen it comes to how much, if any, contact they have with theirgrandkids.

Only in extreme cases, where a youngster's health or safety is atrisk, will the courts step in.

"This human conflict has no place in the courtroom," JusticeThomas Fitzgerald wrote for the majority in a 14-page opinion. "Thisis true even where the intrusion is made in good conscience, such asthe request for visitation to preserve the child's only connection toa deceased parent's family.

"Moreover, a fit parent's constitutionally protected libertyinterest to direct the care, custody and control of his or herchildren mandates that parents--not judges--should be the ones todecide with whom their children will and will not associate."

The statute already had been whittled down in 2000, when the courtruled it was unconstitutional when both parents are alive and able tomake joint decisions regarding their child's welfare.

Thursday's ruling hinged around Wickham's case and another inKankakee County. Both involve single parents whose spouses had died.

"It's a victory for him. It's a victory for any single parents inIllinois because the Supreme Court is telling them that the rightsand concerns that they have for their kids are not diminished whentheir spouse dies," said Chicago attorney Michael Goldberg, whorepresents Paul Byrne, Wickham's son-in-law.

Byrne was married to Wickham's daughter, Lizabeth, who died in1998 of stomach cancer.

In her will, Lizabeth Wickham-Byrne stipulated "frequentvisitation" between her daughter and Wickham.

Byrne drove his daughter to Wickham's suburban home for visits,and the family still gathered for holidays. But Wickham sued, wantinglonger, overnight visits. Currently, she sees her granddaughter oncea week, for four hours.

Byrne, a special education teacher who lives in Portage Park, saidhe was relieved by the court's decision.

"This reaffirms my faith in the parent's fundamental right to makethe most personal decisions regarding their child," he said.

He said he will continue to allow Wickham to see his daughter,"but there will be different ground rules."

Contador defends himself ahead of Giro start

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Alberto Contador defended his right to compete in the Giro d'Italia on Friday and said there was no reason for him to withdraw despite being under investigation for doping.

Contador tested positive for clenbuterol while winning the 2010 Tour de France, but was cleared of doping by the Spanish cycling federation after he blamed the result on eating contaminated beef.

Cycling's governing body and the World Anti-Doping Agency have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is expected to issue a ruling before this year's Tour.

Some teams in the Giro left out riders involved in doping investigations. The BMC team withdrew Alessandro Ballan and Mauro Santambrogio, while Movistar cut Marzio Bruseghin.

"I don't know what the situation is with those riders. But my situation is different," Contador said. "I have been cleared and I hope that in the future there will be the same verdict. But you can't make any comparison between those guys and me."

If he is cleared by CAS, Contador will be able to attempt to win a third consecutive Tour de France, but said riding both the Giro and the Tour will be a tough task.

"It wasn't difficult to decide on the Giro because of the situation with the Tour, but it is possible to do both," Contador said. "I chose the Giro because I have good memories of 2008 and I've wanted to come back ever since.

"I am also thinking about the Tour as well, but for now I am here for the Giro and not thinking about anything else. I will try to do as well as I can in the Giro. It will be hard to do both as this Giro is such a hard race."

With five Grand Tour titles to his name, including the 2008 Giro, Contador has been established as the bookmakers' pick to win in Italy.

Local favorites Vincenzo Nibali and Michele Scarponi are expected to be his main rivals and Contador said they will be under greater pressure to succeed than him.

"Usually everybody tries to pressure me, but that is normal," Contador said. "The pressure is somewhat different for the Giro. At the Tour everybody expects me to fail. Here it is different.

"I intend to take the race day by day. In my opinion I think there are other riders with more pressure on them than me, such as Nibali and Scarponi. If you are not Italian it is hard to understand how important this race is."

Nibali emerged as Italy's best hope of a domestic winner after 2010 champion Ivan Basso decided not to defend his title and focus on the Tour de France instead.

Last year Nibali finished third in the Giro behind Basso and David Arroyo before winning the Spanish Vuelta later in the summer.

"It is going to be very difficult to beat Alberto Contador, whether in a time trial or the longer routes," Nibali said. "We need to take the right options on the road and have to see how it works out over the course.

"I will be treating this race as I always would. In a calm manner. It wouldn't be a disaster if I didn't win, so long as I gave my all."

The 21-stage Giro starts on Saturday with a team time trial in Turin and concludes with an individual time trial in Milan on May 29.

Tools stolen from flat

Tools and building equipment were stolen from a home in Somerton.

Sometime between Tuesday, March 1, and Wednesday, March 2, entrywas forced into a flat in West Street and the items were stolen.

If you have any information relating to this crime you can callAvon and Somerset police on 0845 4567000 or Crimestoppers on 0800555111.

Paper: Gates, Panetta concerned about contractors

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and CIA Director Leon Panetta are concerned about the role private contractors play in intelligence operations, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

In the second installment of a series about the sprawling U.S. intelligence apparatus, the Post estimated that nearly one-third of the 854,000 Americans with top-secret security clearances are private contractors.

Panetta told the Post he agrees that is a problem.

"For too long, we've depended on contractors to do the operational work that ought to be done" by CIA employees, Panetta said.

Panetta also said he was concerned that corporations owe more responsibility to their shareholders than to their country, "and that does present an inherent conflict."

Gates agreed, telling the Post, "You want somebody who's really in it for a career because they're passionate about it and because they care about the country and not just because of the money."

Gates and Panetta were interviewed during the Post's two-year investigation into the mushrooming growth of U.S. intelligence and counterterror operations since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Hundreds flee raided Dallas cockfight; 3 arrested

Police say they raided a cockfight in a rural part of Dallas, arresting three organizers and sending hundreds of spectators fleeing into the woods.

Police spokesman Jerry Monreal says nearly 400 people who paid $20 admission scrambled as officers broke up a cockfight Saturday at a boxing ring-sized pit. Misdemeanor citations were issued to about 100 who were caught.

The three people arrested face felony charges of engaging in organized crime. Police say they found books used to take bets.

Monreal says officers found syringes they believe were used to inject the birds with steroids.

He says animal control officers took some injured birds.

Simmonds, Avery tangle as Flyers defeat Rangers

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The rivalry between the Flyers and Rangers turned ugly in a penalty-filled preseason game that also appeared to include a homophobic slur from Philadelphia's Wayne Simmonds to noted New York agitator Sean Avery.

The Atlantic Division rivals combined for 77 penalty minutes in Philadelphia's 5-3 victory on Monday night, and more discipline could by coming from the NHL when the league sorts everything out.

Avery and Simmonds were at odds in the first period, and television cameras caught Simmonds jawing at Avery, appearing to utter the slur.

When Avery was asked by reporters after the game if Simmonds called him "what we think he called you," he answered: "Yeah, yeah."

Avery said he had "no idea" why Simmonds would make such a remark.

This marked the second controversy in two weeks for Simmonds, who is black. Last week, a banana was thrown at him from the stands during a preseason game in London, Ontario.

Simmonds didn't deny using the slur toward Avery.

"Honestly, we were going back and forth for a while there," he said, without providing details. "I don't recall everything that I did say to him, but he said to me some things I didn't like. And maybe I said some things that he didn't like.

"I can't recall every single word I said."

Simmonds was asked what Avery said and if it crossed the line.

"I'm not going to rat him out," he said.

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette didn't comment on the exchange. As for what he saw of it, Laviolette said, "It was a couple of guys battling out there."

Rangers coach John Tortorella took the matter a step further.

"I didn't hear it. I don't think Sean Avery is lying," he said. "I'll let the league handle it. I did not hear it, but I'm sure Sean Avery isn't going to lie about it."

Just before that incident, Philadelphia's Tom Sestito racked up 20 minutes in penalties after boarding New York's Andre Deveaux behind the net in a move that will likely draw another suspension for the Flyers.

After the play, Sestito and Stu Bickel fought, resulting in misconducts for both players. Bickel also was given an instigator penalty.

"He got a little overzealous," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said.

Last week, after a boarding call in a home preseason game against Toronto, Philadelphia enforcer Jody Shelley was suspended for 10 games by new NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan.

Tortorella called for Sestito to be punished, as well.

"Shanny should have a field day. As far as hits from behind, he should have a field day," he said. "Jody got what, 10 games? This one is worse than that."

Jaromir Jagr scored two power-play goals and had three points, and Claude Giroux and Danny Briere each had three assists as the Flyers (3-1-1) won their second straight.

On the same day that the 2012 Winter Classic was officially announced to be played at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park on Jan. 2 between these two teams, Jagr, a former Rangers star making his first home appearance with the Flyers, came in with a grand entrance. He has three preseason goals.

The game had a regular-season feel, as both teams' star goalies — Philadelphia's Ilya Bryzgalov and New York's Henrik Lundqvist, were in net.

Brian Boyle had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (1-1-1), who lost Jagr to Russia's KHL in 2008. He signed with the Flyers this summer.

"He's such a talented guy with the puck," Laviolette said. "He's got a quick release and can generate a lot of offense. He sure looked good to me."

Jagr, 39, showed no rust as he took a regular shift. He was still out there with two minutes left, looking for the hat-trick goal. He took 18 shifts, five shots, and logged 15 minutes, 19 seconds of ice time.

"We were both finding holes in the defense, but teams will adjust to that, as well," said Briere, who played on a line with Jagr. "But you have to give him credit. He's pretty good."

Braydon Coburn scored the winning goal at 6:35 of the third period, and Simmonds concluded his active night with his first goal with the Flyers — scoring into an empty net in the final minute.

Bryzgalov made 17 saves, and Lundqvist finished with 26.

Races for all abilities at park run event ; In brief

BRENTWOOD: A weekend of competitive running will be coming to thetown at the end of this month.

Over the weekend of Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30,runners from across the county and beyond will converge on WealdCountry Park for a range of running events. On October 2, there willbe a 2km junior race starting at 10am, followed by a 10km adult racewhich starts at 11am.

Then on October 30, there will be a half marathon and a marathonrace, both of which start at 10am.

For more information, visit www.gobeyondultra.co.uk

Norway police won't request isolation for Breivik

OSLO (AP) — Norwegian police say they will no longer insist that confessed mass killer Anders Behring Breivik be held in isolation as he awaits trial on terror charges for July 22 attacks that killed 77 people.

Police attorney Christian Hatlo says investigators are increasingly confident that Breivik had no accomplices when he set off a bomb in Oslo's government district and opened fire at a political youth camp outside the capital.

Hatlo told reporters Thursday that investigators now consider it "safe" to end Breivik's solitary confinement.

However, Hatlo said the decision means little in practice for 32-year-old Norwegian, because authorities at the Ila prison still want to keep him isolated from other prisoners because of security reasons.

Ald. Beavers puts police psychology experts on hot seat for unfairness

Ald. Beavers puts police psychology experts on hot seat for unfairness

If the Center for Applied Psychological and Forensic Studies and law Enforcement and Psychological Services doesn't get its act together and stop failing minority police applicants in record numbers, Ald. William Beavers (7th) Tuesday said he'll move to cancel their contract.

And, it's a rather large joint contract too -- $500,000 a year.

Beavers hauled the two groups that provide psychological testing to Chicago police applicants before his Police and Fire Committee demanding to know why so many minority candidates flunked their psychological exam last year.

They were cross examined by Alds. Freddrenna M. Lyle (6th) and Leslie Hairston (5th) who like Beavers strongly objected to the firms not having a Black male psychologist to administer the psychological exams.

"Black males should be able to interview Black males," Beavers told reporters. While the psychologists claim they interview applicants at least 40-minutes, Beavers produced two witnesses one of whom works for him to say they were interviewed four or five-minutes. Beavers said that is unacceptable.

According to Beavers, those failing the psychological exam last year included one Asian female, 32 Black females, four Hispanic women, 15 white females for a total of 52 women.

Males failing included 9 Asians, 66 Blacks, 42 Hispanics, 68 whites for a total of 185 who failed. Those females who passed included: 3 Asians, 52 Blacks, 21 Hispanics and 45 whites for a total of 121 women.

Men who passed included 24 Asians, 130 Blacks, 120 Hispanics, and 229 whites for a total of 503. A total of 624 passed and 861 were examined.

Appearing before Beavers' committee were: Dr. Michael Roberts, president, law enforcement for the Psychological Services, based in Los Gatos, CA, Dr. Marva Dawkins, president, director, Center for Applied Psychology and Forensic Studies, Dr. Constance Fullilove, vice president, Center for Applied Psychology and Forensic Studies and Dr. Cecelia E. Dawkins, director, business affairs, Research 7 Development, Center for Applied Psychology and Forensic Studies.

They admitted there is a problem with the exam results and vowed to rectify them.

Beavers wasn't happy. "Hopefully, they'll be able to solve it or find somebody to solve the problem. I see a problem with interviews. When you get interviewed once and you're turned down, and the next time you go for an interview you get the same interviewer, you're already defeated from the time you walk in the door."

Beavers said he's serious about suing the joint venture firm just as he did before "to show that there is some problems with the psychological testing. We'll seek an opportunity for these people to be retested."

He said 2,000 applicants were retested resulting in 20 percent failing whereas before the percentage was much larger. Beavers said there is something wrong with those results.

Saying 10 percent failures is a problem, but to have 13 percent failing is "outrageous, a real problem."

Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.

Photo (William Beavers)

Michigan State beats Maryland 85-83 at buzzer

Korie Lucious hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a frenetic finish and give injury-depleted Michigan State an 85-83 victory over Maryland on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

After star guard Kalin Lucas went down with a leg injury, the Spartans blew a 16-point lead in the second half. Greivis Vasquez's basket put Maryland ahead 83-82 with 6 seconds left, but Michigan State inbounded immediately and pushed up the floor.

The ball went to Lucious, Lucas' replacement, at the top of the key and he drained a 3 just in time, setting off a wild celebration as jubilant Spartans players streamed off the bench.

"I had an open look. Time was running down. I just shot it and it went in," Lucious said.

No. 5 seed Michigan State advanced to play ninth-seeded Northern Iowa on Friday in the Midwest Regional semifinals in St. Louis. The Panthers pulled off the most stunning upset of the tournament Saturday, beating top-seeded Kansas 69-67.

If the Spartans are going to go any further, however, they'll probably have to do it without their floor leader.

Moments after his team's thrilling victory, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo revealed sobering news about Lucas, saying the junior guard likely has a torn Achilles' tendon. That would make it almost impossible for him to play in the round of 16 _ or beyond.

"That poor kid, he was devastated," Izzo said. "It's a shame for him. But it's part of athletics and we're just going to have to move on."

Izzo added that the diagnosis was not definite because Lucas had yet to have an X-ray on MRI, "but the prognosis is 85 percent of that."

A two-time all-Big Ten selection, Lucas got hurt with 2:28 remaining in the first half and did not return. He came back to the bench with 12 1/2 minutes to play wearing a hooded sweat shirt and sweat pants, with a walking boot on his left foot and ankle.

Lucas scored a career-high 25 points in Michigan State's first-round victory over New Mexico State.

Durrell Summers had 26 points in this one for the Spartans (26-8), who also played without starting guard Chris Allen (foot) for most of the game. Summers responded with by far his best NCAA tournament performance in 11 outings.

Vasquez led the fourth-seeded Terrapins (24-9) with 26 points. He sparked their late comeback by scoring nine of Maryland's final 11 points in the last two minutes.

After his winning shot, Lucious backpedaled down the court and the entire Michigan State team _ minus Lucas _ dogpiled on him under the Maryland basket. Even the mascot got into the act.

Lucious, a sophomore, matched his season high with 13 points.

"I told our team when we were up four, up six, whatever it was, we were going to win this game and it's going to be one of the greatest wins in the history of Michigan State," Izzo said.

Lucious' shot capped a wild finish to a game that the Spartans appeared to have in hand. With 12 minutes to go, they were up by 16.

The drama started when Summers went out with his fourth foul with 6:19 left and MSU holding a 74-64 lead. A 3-pointer by Eric Hayes and a layup by Adrian Bowie pulled Maryland within 78-71 with 3:59 left. Maryland missed on its next possession, and the Spartans worked time off the clock before Lucious scored for an 80-71 lead with 2:05 to go.

Vasquez scored quickly on the other end and sank the foul shot to make it 80-74.

Then, Maryland's press paid off. Vasquez, the ACC player of the year, stole an inbounds pass and Sean Mosley made a layup to make it 80-76. The Terrapins' Cliff Tucker stole the ball on the next possession and Vasquez hit a 3 from the left corner to cut it to 80-79 with 1:19 left.

Tucker stole the ball again and Vasquez made a runner over Delvon Roe to give Maryland an 81-80 lead with 31 seconds left, its first since the opening minutes.

Draymond Green scored with 20 seconds remaining to put the Spartans up by one. But Vasquez scored again, setting up the thrilling final sequence.

Lucas began hopping on one leg and keeping his left foot off the ground after making a runner and landing awkwardly on his left leg near the baseline with 2:28 remaining in the first half. As play continued at the other end, he hopped down court on his right leg while wincing in pain. He tried to defend the ball before officials gave him an injury timeout.

The junior then hopped to his bench. After a trainer looked at his lower left leg for a moment, Lucas hobbled into a tunnel that leads to the locker room.

"I just came down the wrong way," he said.

Michigan State led by nine when Lucas left the game. He remained out at the start of the second half, and wasn't even on the bench until 12 1/2 minutes remained. The Spartans' lead had grown to 15 by then, thanks to Summers' shooting.

Allen, a 3-point specialist, did not start because of a foot injury. He entered midway through the first half, moved stiffly for a couple of minutes, then left the game and remained on the bench into the second half.

Sunni militants threaten to kill Shiite hostages, enflame sectarian divides in Iraq

ALEXANDRA ZAVIS, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
04-16-2005
Dateline: BAGHDAD, Iraq
Masked Sunni militants cruised a town south of Baghdad on Saturday, threatening to kill a number of Shiite hostages unless all Shiites leave, residents and government officials said.

The claimed abductions in Madain threatened to enflame sectarian divides as tortuous negotiations dragged on about the composition of a new government more than two months after historic elections.

Elsewhere, 11 detainees angry about their treatment by U.S. captors broke out of the military's largest detention center in Iraq. Ten were recaptured, and authorities were searching for the remaining escapee, the U.S. military and Iraqi forces said.

The jail break capped a weak of stepped up violence in Iraq. At least 14 Iraqis were killed Saturday in scattered attacks, including a suicide car explosion near a civilian convoy on the road to Baghdad's airport that police said also killed two foreign civilians. Two U.S. soldiers were reported killed in separate attacks.

Sunni insurgents have repeatedly sparred with Iraq's security forces in Madain and its outlying districts, populated by a near equal mix of Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

The latest crisis began Thursday when Sunni militants severely damaged a Shiite mosque with explosives in the town 20 kilometers (14 miles) southeast of Baghdad, said Haitham Husseini, a spokesman for the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the country's largest Shiite group.

The next day, about 100 masked militants drove through down, grabbing Shiite youth and old men, he said. Estimates of the number captured ranged between 35 and 70, Husseini and central government officials said.

A resident reached by telephone said militants returned early Saturday, shouting through loud speakers that all Shiites must leave or the hostages would be killed. Later in the day, the town appeared calm and there was no sign of insurgents.

Husseini accused the militants of trying to stir up religious strife, but said Shiites would not retaliate. Iraqi security forces were deployed around the town to contain the situation, a Defense Ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

However, Sheikh Abdul Hadi al-Darraji, an aide to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, told al-Jazeera satellite television he did not believe any abductions took place.

Sunnis make up 15 percent to 20 percent of Iraq's 26 million people, but the minority was the country's dominant group under Saddam Hussein. Since coalition forces drove him out of power in 2003, the Sunnis are believed to be the backbone of the insurgency. Many Sunnis boycotted Iraq's Jan. 30 national elections or stayed home for fear of attacks at the polls.

Prime Minister-designate Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a Shiite leader, is now trying to put together a Cabinet that includes Sunnis, but talks have stalled over how to do this. The National Assembly was scheduled to meet Sunday, but al-Jaafari said a new government would only be announced later in the week.

"We insist on including all national forces in this government, but we don't expect to please all forces," he said in an interview with the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

The 11 detainees escaped early Saturday from Camp Bucca, which holds some 6,000 prisoners, nearly two-thirds of all those in Iraq. Police were holding 10 of them until they could be sent back to the facility in southeastern Iraq.

One of the 10 said the group escaped by cutting through a wire fence.

"We decided to flee the prison because of the bad treatment and delay in investigations," 24-year-old Hussein Nima said. Detention centers have come under criticism for holding prisoners indefinitely.

Lt. Col. Guy Rudisill, a U.S. military spokesman, denied the allegations of mistreatment, saying the inmates get three meals a day, access to shower facilities, prayer rugs and a copy of the Quran.

"We provide them with every humane type of care," said Rudisill. He declined to say why the 11 were being held.

The escape came two days after a melee among prisoners left one detainee dead and injured dozens of others, the U.S. military said. Nima said the fight was between U.S. soldiers and prisoners.

In Baghdad, an attack by a suicide car bomber on a convoy on the road to the airport killed the assailant and at least three civilians, including one Iraqi and two foreigners, police said. Three other Iraqi civilians and three foreigners were wounded, they said. The U.S. military confirmed it was a civilian convoy, but had no further details.

In Baqouba, 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of the capital, a bomb exploded inside a restaurant often used by Iraqi police, killing nine people, most of them policemen, police and hospital officials said. Twelve people were hospitalized in the blast.

One U.S. soldier from the 42nd Military Police Brigade was wounded and died when his convoy was hit Saturday by an explosive device near Taji, 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Baghdad. Another died of injuries sustained when a coalition military base was attacked Friday near Tikrit, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad.

In other violence Saturday:

_ Insurgents killed three members of Iraq's security forces in the northern city of Kirkuk, firing from speeding vehicles on soldiers and policemen, police said.

_ In the northern city of Mosul, a car bomb damaged one vehicle in a U.S. military convoy, wounding six soldiers lightly, said Sgt. John H. Franzen. The attack came as Iraqi and U.S. forces were completing two days of raids that netted 27 suspected insurgents, a military statement said.

_ Insurgents shot and killed a police officer in the center of Kut, 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, police said.

_ Two Filipino workers were lightly wounded in an attack while traveling on a road near Baghdad's airport, a Philippine official said.

___

Associated Press writers Abbas Fayadh in Basra and Qasim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved
Sunni militants threaten to kill Shiite hostages, enflame sectarian divides in IraqALEXANDRA ZAVIS, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
04-16-2005
Dateline: BAGHDAD, Iraq
Masked Sunni militants cruised a town south of Baghdad on Saturday, threatening to kill a number of Shiite hostages unless all Shiites leave, residents and government officials said.

The claimed abductions in Madain threatened to enflame sectarian divides as tortuous negotiations dragged on about the composition of a new government more than two months after historic elections.

Elsewhere, 11 detainees angry about their treatment by U.S. captors broke out of the military's largest detention center in Iraq. Ten were recaptured, and authorities were searching for the remaining escapee, the U.S. military and Iraqi forces said.

The jail break capped a weak of stepped up violence in Iraq. At least 14 Iraqis were killed Saturday in scattered attacks, including a suicide car explosion near a civilian convoy on the road to Baghdad's airport that police said also killed two foreign civilians. Two U.S. soldiers were reported killed in separate attacks.

Sunni insurgents have repeatedly sparred with Iraq's security forces in Madain and its outlying districts, populated by a near equal mix of Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

The latest crisis began Thursday when Sunni militants severely damaged a Shiite mosque with explosives in the town 20 kilometers (14 miles) southeast of Baghdad, said Haitham Husseini, a spokesman for the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the country's largest Shiite group.

The next day, about 100 masked militants drove through down, grabbing Shiite youth and old men, he said. Estimates of the number captured ranged between 35 and 70, Husseini and central government officials said.

A resident reached by telephone said militants returned early Saturday, shouting through loud speakers that all Shiites must leave or the hostages would be killed. Later in the day, the town appeared calm and there was no sign of insurgents.

Husseini accused the militants of trying to stir up religious strife, but said Shiites would not retaliate. Iraqi security forces were deployed around the town to contain the situation, a Defense Ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

However, Sheikh Abdul Hadi al-Darraji, an aide to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, told al-Jazeera satellite television he did not believe any abductions took place.

Sunnis make up 15 percent to 20 percent of Iraq's 26 million people, but the minority was the country's dominant group under Saddam Hussein. Since coalition forces drove him out of power in 2003, the Sunnis are believed to be the backbone of the insurgency. Many Sunnis boycotted Iraq's Jan. 30 national elections or stayed home for fear of attacks at the polls.

Prime Minister-designate Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a Shiite leader, is now trying to put together a Cabinet that includes Sunnis, but talks have stalled over how to do this. The National Assembly was scheduled to meet Sunday, but al-Jaafari said a new government would only be announced later in the week.

"We insist on including all national forces in this government, but we don't expect to please all forces," he said in an interview with the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

The 11 detainees escaped early Saturday from Camp Bucca, which holds some 6,000 prisoners, nearly two-thirds of all those in Iraq. Police were holding 10 of them until they could be sent back to the facility in southeastern Iraq.

One of the 10 said the group escaped by cutting through a wire fence.

"We decided to flee the prison because of the bad treatment and delay in investigations," 24-year-old Hussein Nima said. Detention centers have come under criticism for holding prisoners indefinitely.

Lt. Col. Guy Rudisill, a U.S. military spokesman, denied the allegations of mistreatment, saying the inmates get three meals a day, access to shower facilities, prayer rugs and a copy of the Quran.

"We provide them with every humane type of care," said Rudisill. He declined to say why the 11 were being held.

The escape came two days after a melee among prisoners left one detainee dead and injured dozens of others, the U.S. military said. Nima said the fight was between U.S. soldiers and prisoners.

In Baghdad, an attack by a suicide car bomber on a convoy on the road to the airport killed the assailant and at least three civilians, including one Iraqi and two foreigners, police said. Three other Iraqi civilians and three foreigners were wounded, they said. The U.S. military confirmed it was a civilian convoy, but had no further details.

In Baqouba, 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of the capital, a bomb exploded inside a restaurant often used by Iraqi police, killing nine people, most of them policemen, police and hospital officials said. Twelve people were hospitalized in the blast.

One U.S. soldier from the 42nd Military Police Brigade was wounded and died when his convoy was hit Saturday by an explosive device near Taji, 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Baghdad. Another died of injuries sustained when a coalition military base was attacked Friday near Tikrit, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad.

In other violence Saturday:

_ Insurgents killed three members of Iraq's security forces in the northern city of Kirkuk, firing from speeding vehicles on soldiers and policemen, police said.

_ In the northern city of Mosul, a car bomb damaged one vehicle in a U.S. military convoy, wounding six soldiers lightly, said Sgt. John H. Franzen. The attack came as Iraqi and U.S. forces were completing two days of raids that netted 27 suspected insurgents, a military statement said.

_ Insurgents shot and killed a police officer in the center of Kut, 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, police said.

_ Two Filipino workers were lightly wounded in an attack while traveling on a road near Baghdad's airport, a Philippine official said.

___

Associated Press writers Abbas Fayadh in Basra and Qasim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved

Eva Braun book sold for $7,500

MUNICH, West Germany The 1944 appointment book of Eva Braun,Adolf Hitler's mistress and last-minute wife, has been sold here for$7,500 in West …

Clinton's woes may cloud greenhouse-gas agenda. (Pres. Clinton)

WASHINGTON - in 1998, the auto industry wanted Congress to deal with parts of the industry's agenda, such as a now-familiar bill for marking salvage vehicle titles and the still-formative idea of giving immunity to installers of on-off airbag switches.

But President Clinton made clear last week that industry lobbyists also must contend with his plan to begin cutting greenhouse-gas emissions - even though a newly negotiated climate-change treaty won't be submitted to the Senate for ratification anytime soon.

"We have it in our power to act right here, right now," Clinton said in his State of the Union address. "We have always found a way to clean the environment and grow the economy at the same time. And when it comes to global warming, we'll do it again."

Of course, the giant cloud of scandal currently hanging above the president's head leaves in doubt whether he will be able to move any of his proposals until lawmakers are satisfied that he has not committed impeachable offenses.

"It will obviously affect the legislative schedule, both from the …

OLD GLORY ENTHRALLS YOUNG STUDENTS.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: KATHLEEN DOOLEY Staff writer

U.S. flags, particularly the old Snake Flag with the words ``Don't Tread On Me'' inscribed in red, and other old U.S. banners fascinated youngsters at Skano Elementary School at Wednesday's Flag Day festivities.

After each flag was shown, Clifton Park Elks Lodge 2466 members carefully folded them in the proper manner. More than 190 students in grades 4 and 5, some holding large and small U.S. flags and wearing red, white and blue hats and T-shirts, sat hushed as Louis Stoller of the Elks displayed a collection of large U.S. flags, explaining their meaning.

``I love looking at all the different flags,'' said …

Challenges of recruitment and retention in multisite clinical research.

2003 DEC 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Challenges of recruitment and retention in multisite clinical research have been reviewed.

"This article reviews recruitment and retention issues in a multisite, multistate (California, New York, Connecticut, Georgia, Alabama) 6-month prospective cross-sectional study focused on quality of life among 230 women with lung cancer," researchers in the United States report.

"Recruitment of women into clinical trials and their retention are important, yet understudied. To date, few articles have described the challenges associated with recruiting women with lung cancer to participate in clinical research," wrote M.E. …

1 Shot in Conn. Playstation Waiting Line

PUTNAM, Conn. - Two armed thugs tried to rob a line of people waiting to buy the new Playstation 3 gaming console early Friday and shot one who refused to give up the money, authorities said.

The two confronted 15 to 20 people who were in line outside a Wal-Mart store shortly after 3 a.m. and demanded money, said Lt. J. Paul Vance, a spokesman for the state police. The new Sony consoles are selling for around $500 to $600.

"One of the patrons resisted. That patron was shot," Vance said.

He said the two gunmen fled and the victim was taken to University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester. There was no immediate word on the victim's condition.

…

Team-by-Team picks

BEARS--1 (14) Chris Williams, ot, Vanderbilt, 2 (44) Matt Forte, rb, Tulane, 3 (70) Earl Bennett, wr, Vanderbilt, 3 (90) Marcus Harrison, dt, Arkansas--4 (120) Craig Steltz, db, LSU, 5 (142) Zackary Bowman, db, Nebraska, 5 (158) Kellen Davis, te, Michigan State, 7 (208) Ervin Baldwin, de, Michigan State, 7 (222) Chester Adams, ot, Georgia, 7 (243) Joey LaRocque, lb, Oregon State, 7 (247) Kirk Barton, ot, Ohio State, 7 (248) Marcus Monk, wr, Arkansas

Arizona--1 (16) Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, db, Tennessee State, 2 (50) Calais Campbell, de, Miami, 3 (81) Early Doucet, wr, LSU, 4 (116) Kenny Iwebema, de, Iowa, 5 (149) Tim Hightower, rb, Richmond, 6 (185) Chris Harrington, de, …

Viagra may just help Bafana climb Everest.(Sports)

WE put on a fantastic show for the world with an excellent World Cup draw last Friday. Now it's time to sit back and wait for June 11 for the world to entertain us.

Some of the world's biggest football stars are heading to our shores in exactly six months' time and I can't wait.

I must admit, I was a bit sceptical of how the notoriously football-shy citizens of the Mother City would embrace one of the biggest events to hit our city in a long time.

Last Thursday, I didn't really feel a buzz. But, waking up on Friday morning and finding out that Long Street is already packed with people waiting for the biggest party since 1999, I got goosebumps. Cape …

A-C YANKS NEED ONE VICTORY TO CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT.(Sports)

Dean Kelley, the No.9 hitter in Albany- Colonie's batting order, joined brothers Jason and Kevin Maas in rapping out three hits apiece as the Yankees clinched at least a tie for the fourth and final Eastern league playoff berth with a 7-3 victory over New Britain Friday night.

Albany won for the eighth time in its past nine games.

The Yankees, who can clinch the berth with a victory here tonight (or a Reading loss), also assured themselves of a winning record with their 70th victory against 64 losses. They have five games remaining.

Meanwhile, Vermont pulled into a virtual first-place tie with Glens Falls by beating Reading 5-3 while the Tigers were …

BOBBITT'S EX-WIFE ACCUSED OF PUNCHING HER MOTHER.(MAIN)

The woman known as Lorena Bobbitt when she cut off her husband's penis with a kitchen knife was arraigned Monday on charges of punching her mother. Lorena Gallo, who has used her maiden name since her divorce from John Wayne Bobbitt, could get up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Gallo, 28, remained free on $750 bail and faces a trial April 2.

Her parents, with whom she lives, didn't want her charged. They …

Monitoring conditions at home. (Omron Healthcare Inc. introduces new products) (RX Mass Market Retail Pharmacy: Marketplace) (Editorial)

VERNON HILLS, Ill.--Omron Healthcare Inc. has become a supplier of home health care equipment via several new intros, including its recently unveiled digital blood pressure and pulse monitors.

One model, HEM-705CP, retains up to 14 readings in its memory and prints those measurements in both digital and bar graph form. The readouts show borderline, hypertensive and normal measurements.

A similar model (HEM-706) uses a computer program that determines ideal cuff inflation based on the user's arm size and systolic blood pressure.

Both units have a panel that offers …

Blues Trail Marker to Honor Presley

A Mississippi Blues Trail marker will be placed at the birthplace of Elvis Presley on Tuesday.

The ceremony will honor Presley for his contribution to Mississippi and America's blues heritage.

He was born in Tupelo on Jan. 8, 1935. Presley died at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tenn., on Aug. 16, 1977. He first encountered the blues in Tupelo, and it remained central to his music throughout his career.

His early recordings helped revolutionize popular music with a unique mix of blues and country music, which led many rock 'n' roll artists to follow his lead.

"By all accounts, Elvis Presley was the …

Whether she's modeling or not, teen will pout

Dear Zazz: I'm 15 years old and want to be a model. My motherthinks it's not a worthwhile career. What do you think?

WANNA BE A MODEL

Dear Wanna Be: I think models are essential to our society.Without them, who would wear the outfits in clothing advertisements?Who would sip the soft drinks in TV commercials? Who would date rockstar Rod Stewart?

The rest of us can't do it. Or if we did, we'd smile when weshould be pouting in perfume ads. Or we'd say the wrong things toRod Stewart and he'd never call us again.

So if you've got the looks, the charisma and the money to getyour portfolio together, sure, you ought to be a model. If everypotential …

Australian filtering trial ends up blocking Internet service.(AUSTRALIA)(Brief article)

A discussion paper in Australia suggests that all is not well with the country's ISP-level filtering trial, which has invoked strong reactions from the entire industry. The Internet filtering test is currently being carried out in alliance with many Internet service providers (ISPs) by employing filtering technology derived …

WRAP UP A PALM PILOT OR AN IPOD THIS SEASON.(LIFE-MONEY)

If you've run out of gift ideas for the coming holiday season, Good Housekeeping has a few suggestions. The engineers at the Good Housekeeping Institute have been testing the latest tech gadgets and gizmos. They've come up with 11 unusual picks (you can find more Good Housekeeping Institute product tests at www.goodhousekeeping.com).

Small is beautiful

Getting organized just got easier. The Palm Zire 31 Palm Pilot ($149) handles the basics, like keeping a daily calendar and contacts. But if you'd like a PDA gift with more features, consider the Palm Zire 72 ($299). It's loaded with extras, including wireless technology and a built-in digital camera.

…

Vortex mixers.(NEW Technology)

Two versions of the LW Scientific Turbo Mixer are now available. For quick and complete mixing of samples, cup and platform models come with variable speed control up to 3000 rpm and can be activated to vibrate continuously or by pressure to the head. …

GM recalling 38,000 Pontiac G8s over air-bag issue

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. is recalling 38,400 Pontiac G8 models to reprogram the front-passenger air-bag module.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Saturday that the air-bag modules for the 2008 and 2009 …

OpenHSF: an initiative for visual interoperability. (Industry Watch).

In their rush to enter into and then, with luck and hard work, dominate new markets, developers typically try to differentiate themselves from the competition long before they ever get around to considering whether that differentiation might lead to interoperability problems for users down the road. If CAD technology history is to be our guide, then interoperability inevitably becomes an issue. Addressing standards and open exchange is crucial to long-term presence in a market. In some areas, such as 2D and 3D modeling, the willingness on the part of some developers to embrace interoperability problems and to form coalitions for solving them has been slow to occur. Geographic …

Pletcher remains stuck in the gate.(Sports)

Byline: Tim Wilkin

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As evening fell on historic Churchill Downs, trainer Todd Pletcher fell, too. And boy, did he fall hard.

The best thoroughbred trainer in years had a Kentucky Derby that might've kept him up Saturday night, and for many nights to come.

Pletcher came to America's biggest horse race with five chances to win it for the first time. As dusk crept over the Twin Spires and the third-largest crowd ever to see the Derby (156,635) started to sober up, reality was setting in for Pletcher.

His futility in the Derby will be a story again next spring.

Pletcher, the three-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer and the king …